Narrative:

Left fnk (virginia) XA30 am under VFR conditions. Intention to get as close as possible to my destination (oxc) under VFR conditions was aware of earlier thunderstorms along route but were no longer a factor. Followed the coast nebound in addition to VOR to VOR navigation received flight following for at least 80% of the journey. Altitudes 2500 ft and 1500 ft until reaching new york airspace then up to 7500 ft was aware of WX to the west of line from atlantic city to bridgeport ct. My big error was assuming I could get down through breaks in clouds even if it had to be to the east of my destination. I mistakenly, because of poor transmission, misunderstood AWOS at my destination I thought it was a 2400 ft ceiling 7 mi visibility, it actually was a 400 ft ceiling. Climbed to VFR on top, direct new york VOR direct bridgeport VOR 7500 ft. New york approach found my most suitable landing site hvn 1100 ft ceiling, 7 mi visibility they suggested declaring an emergency, bringing me down over water to 1100 ft, then visually landing at hvn, I agreed. Problem arose by my assuming to be able to maintain VFR. Fuel status cherokee 140 at departure - 48 gallons usable. At 8 gallons/hour I conservatively estimated I had more than 1 hour of fuel left. I did not file a VFR flight plan but did receive flight following for a great majority of trip. Over new york the smart thing to have done was to make a 180 degrees turn and head back to the northern nj coast and VFR conditions. I exercised poor judgement in that assuming the presence of breaks in clouds to the east of the line of WX in which I based my decision to go on. To seek a more thorough WX briefing would have been the corrective action, but my judgement was colored by my willingness to get home. A big factor which affected my misjudgement was that I was just matriculated into an engineering program and classes were to start jan/mon/95. I left florida jan/tues/95 which I felt would have given me sufficient time to account for poor WX. I realize this is a poor excuse but I thought this may have been a factor which contributed to the situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR ON TOP. EMER DECLARED.

Narrative: LEFT FNK (VIRGINIA) XA30 AM UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. INTENTION TO GET AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO MY DEST (OXC) UNDER VFR CONDITIONS WAS AWARE OF EARLIER TSTMS ALONG RTE BUT WERE NO LONGER A FACTOR. FOLLOWED THE COAST NEBOUND IN ADDITION TO VOR TO VOR NAV RECEIVED FLT FOLLOWING FOR AT LEAST 80% OF THE JOURNEY. ALTS 2500 FT AND 1500 FT UNTIL REACHING NEW YORK AIRSPACE THEN UP TO 7500 FT WAS AWARE OF WX TO THE WEST OF LINE FROM ATLANTIC CITY TO BRIDGEPORT CT. MY BIG ERROR WAS ASSUMING I COULD GET DOWN THROUGH BREAKS IN CLOUDS EVEN IF IT HAD TO BE TO THE E OF MY DEST. I MISTAKENLY, BECAUSE OF POOR XMISSION, MISUNDERSTOOD AWOS AT MY DEST I THOUGHT IT WAS A 2400 FT CEILING 7 MI VIS, IT ACTUALLY WAS A 400 FT CEILING. CLBED TO VFR ON TOP, DIRECT NEW YORK VOR DIRECT BRIDGEPORT VOR 7500 FT. NEW YORK APCH FOUND MY MOST SUITABLE LNDG SITE HVN 1100 FT CEILING, 7 MI VISIBILITY THEY SUGGESTED DECLARING AN EMER, BRINGING ME DOWN OVER WATER TO 1100 FT, THEN VISUALLY LNDG AT HVN, I AGREED. PROB AROSE BY MY ASSUMING TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR. FUEL STATUS CHEROKEE 140 AT DEP - 48 GALLONS USABLE. AT 8 GALLONS/HR I CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATED I HAD MORE THAN 1 HR OF FUEL LEFT. I DID NOT FILE A VFR FLT PLAN BUT DID RECEIVE FLT FOLLOWING FOR A GREAT MAJORITY OF TRIP. OVER NEW YORK THE SMART THING TO HAVE DONE WAS TO MAKE A 180 DEGS TURN AND HEAD BACK TO THE NORTHERN NJ COAST AND VFR CONDITIONS. I EXERCISED POOR JUDGEMENT IN THAT ASSUMING THE PRESENCE OF BREAKS IN CLOUDS TO THE EAST OF THE LINE OF WX IN WHICH I BASED MY DECISION TO GO ON. TO SEEK A MORE THOROUGH WX BRIEFING WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT MY JUDGEMENT WAS COLORED BY MY WILLINGNESS TO GET HOME. A BIG FACTOR WHICH AFFECTED MY MISJUDGEMENT WAS THAT I WAS JUST MATRICULATED INTO AN ENGINEERING PROGRAM AND CLASSES WERE TO START JAN/MON/95. I LEFT FLORIDA JAN/TUES/95 WHICH I FELT WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME SUFFICIENT TIME TO ACCOUNT FOR POOR WX. I REALIZE THIS IS A POOR EXCUSE BUT I THOUGHT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE SIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.